The government attaches particular importance to the primary sector and the Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organisation (CAPO) is a key pillar in the implementation of this strategy, so that we can strengthen the sector’s share in the country’s GDP, President, Nikos Christodoulides said on Monday, upon receiving the annual report of the Organisation for 2023, from the competent Commissioner, Andreas Kyprianou.

Delivering the report, Kyprianou said, among other things, that this year for the first time, Cypriot farmers are the first in the EU to receive their subsidies from December 1, the first day that a member state can, according to the regulations, pay hectare subsidies.

He said that this was also due to President Christodoulides’ actions, noting the President’s interest in the primary sector. He added that the farmers and others in the primary sector were going through “a difficult period” because the cost of production has increased, due to the fact that the cost of energy is very high, as well as that of animal feed, pesticides and fertilizers “therefore, in order for the Cypriot agricultural economy and Cypriot farmers to survive, they must benefit from state support”.

Kyprianou also said that the report records great interest from young farmers to produce and market traditional products, adding that the budget for young farmers has been doubled, while all applications have been satisfied.

He added that in the five-year period (2023-2027) Cyprus will pay Cypriot farmers approximately 450 million euros, while also referring to recent decisions of the Council of Ministers for extraordinary subsidies.

“Speaking to many rural residents, they appreciate all this effort by the Government to build a strong Cypriot agricultural economy”, the Commissioner said, adding that rural areas cannot exist without an agricultural economy. “Urbanisation must stop”, Kyprianou said, adding that to stop people leaving rural areas, agricultural economy and health and education infrastructures, among other things, were important.

He also added that the CAPO was one of Cyprus’ “most modern organisations” and one with very high performance in the EU, fully using e-governance.

Kyprianou also said that just yesterday the “Digital Farmer” platform was launched, where every interested party can receive answers, with the help of artificial intelligence, to all their questions.

President Christodoulides congratulated the Commissioner for the timely payment of the hectare subsidies, adding that it was “important” that, for the first time they are paid on time, noting the difficulties farmers face.

“The government attaches particular importance to the primary sector”, he said, noting that it was, however, below 2% of Cyprus’ GDP. “It is for this reason that we recently announced the strategy for the primary sector, and the CAPO is a key pillar for the implementation of this strategy, to strengthen the percentage of the primary sector in our country’s GDP”, he added.

The President said that this is done starting from subsidies in combination with other policies, such as education, health, and through a holistic approach, to succeed in keeping rural areas alive.